The goal of the UAB Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program (CPCTP) is to recruit, train, and mentor pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees who have made a significant career commitment to cancer prevention and control research. We use a team science approach based on a variety of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research educational activities. The CPCTP is one of the longest sustained R25 training programs in the country. Our proposed renewal is intended to continue research training support for pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees in cancer prevention and control. The achievements of our 119 graduates over the past 24 years reflect significant successes in meeting NCI's R25 training and research goals. Follow-up data on graduates finishing the program during the past 5 years indicate that 84% are engaged in research activities or continue in academic training programs. The CPCTP has outstanding success in recruiting underrepresented minorities: 23% African American, 8% Asian, and 6% Latino/Hispanic White, Native American, or other racial/ethnic heritage. We have had 37% minority representation over the past 24 years. Our program's gender ratio has gradually shifted from a slight predominance of males to 71% female in the current 5-year cycle (overall: 58% female). We propose to maintain and, in some aspects, enhance the strong interdisciplinary research focus of the CPCTP, but do so in keeping with new NCI guidelines for R25 programs. The specific aims of the proposed CPCTP are: * To recruit, educate, and train doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows based in diverse academic disciplines (e.g., nutrition sciences, epidemiology, nursing, environmental health sciences, health behavior, pharmacology/ toxicology, medical psychology, biology) to conduct interdisciplinary research in cancer prevention and control. * To recruit a diverse cadre of well-qualified trainees who are minorities including African Americans, Latinos/Hispanics, and members of disadvantaged groups, and to promote research in health disparities within the framework of cancer prevention and control. * To provide a specialized core didactic and tailored research curriculum and rich learning opportunities in cancer prevention and control. * To foster the development of independent research careers in cancer prevention and control through mentoring by senior faculty having established track records in funded research. * To emphasize interdisciplinary research training so that each trainee will gain competence in at least two research areas and will in addition have sufficient knowledge of other areas to interact professionally in team science efforts aimed at cancer prevention and control. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The goal of the proposed renewal of the UAB Cancer Prevention and Control Training Program (CPCTP) is to recruit, train, and mentor pre-doctoral and post-doctoral trainees who have made a significant career commitment to cancer prevention and control research. We use a team science approach based on a variety of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research educational activities. The CPCTP is one of the longest sustained R25 training programs in the country. The achievements of our 119 graduates over the past 24 years reflect significant successes in meeting NCI's R25 training and research goals.